Vania



June `26, 1923.

J. H. KNAPP FURNAGE Filed 0G15. 22 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet vl j; alitoznvcigJune 2611.923.

- 1,460,066 J. H. KNAPP `FURNACE Filed Oct. 22 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 5nve'ntoz f 2f Mw, .35% @MQWI Q Patented June 26, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENTg/OFFICE.'

J'AIIYIES` H. KNAPP, AOF EDGEWORTH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO TATE-JONS661v COMPANY, INC.`,"F PITTSBURGH,'FENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OFPENNSYL- venu ' FURNACE.

To all 'wko/m t m04/ concern.' l

Be it known that I, JAMES H. KNAPP, residing at Edgeworth;'AlleghenyCounty,

Pennsylvanimh'ave invented a new and useful Improvement in Furnaces, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description; referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings; forming part'of thisspecification, in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical sec-tion ofa portion of a furnace embodying my invention; Y

Figure 2 -is a section on the line II-II of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a-horizo'ntal section of a furnace' illustrating amodification;

Fi ureBa-is a plan view showing a modified orm of one of the conveyormembers;

Figure 4 is a plan View of the form of conveyor member shown in Figure2; Figure 5 isa seotionpon the line V-V of F igure 4;

Figure 6 is a plan another modification; 1

Figure 7 is a section on the line VII- VII view showing still of Figure6; Y

Figure 8 is a plan view. of still another modification;

Figure 9 is a section on the line III-IX so of vFigure 8; l Figure 10 isa plan view of still another modification; i 1

Figure 11 is a section on the line XIXI of Figure 10;

Figures 12 and 13 are plan views showingl further modifications;

Fi re 14 is a section on the line XI XIV of Figure 13; and i Figures 15and 16 are transverse sections Showing two other modifications.

My invention has relation l' to improvements in furnaces, andparticularly to heating and annealing furnaces of the continuous` Anobject of `my invention is to provide a furnace of this character with"conveying means of -novel form and arrangement by the use ofwhich/several important-,advantages are obtained in the operation of the5'0 furnace 'as hereinafter pointed out. A further object of theinvention is to provide for a more efficient action of the heatingmedium within the furnace.

Referring first to that form of `my invention shown in Figures 1. and 2,the numeral 2 designates the side walls of the delivery end portion of acontinuous heating furnace of a type-such as is employe-d forplateheating or annealing` worli. 3' designates the roof wall of thefurnace; 4 the delivery opening closed by the vertically movable door 5and operated by any -usual orsuitable mechanism 6.` The parts shown inconnection with the delivery opening ofthe furnace form no part of thepresent invention.

In accordance with my invention, I provide the furnace with a pluralityof transversely arranged conveyor members which are designed to effect astep-by-step movement of the plates to be heated through the heatingchamber of the furnace. These conveyor members may take variousv forms.In the formshown in these figures, each of these conveyor elementsconsists of a .watercooled pipe which is bent upon itself to form thethree lequally spaced transversely extending arms 8, the end portions ofthe pipe being extended, as shown at 9, to form journalswhich aremounted in suitable bearings in the side wall structure of the lfurnace.These journal portions are provided at their outer endswithsuitable-stuffing boxes 10 into which extend pipes-11 for thecircula.- tion of'water or other liquid-cooling medium through thedevice. Preferably, the structure is s tiffened by casting blocks ormasses -12 of cast iron or the like atv the junctions of the arms S withthe ournal portions 9. i

rotating the conveyor members, such as the sprocket gearing shown at 13in Figure 2.

Intermediate adjacent conveyor membersV I provide the hearth of theheating chamber of the furnace with blocks or piers 14, which arespacedfrom each other transversely so Aa s to provide forv free circulation`of the heating medium between the blocks or piers and underneath theplates beingl heated. These'blocks .or piers are also preferably spacedaway from the lateral wallsof-'the heating chamber for asimilarpurpose.jThe conveyor members are journaled so that when in the positions shownin FigureA l, all

Any suitable gearing maybe provided for three of the pipe-arms 8 arebelow thevplane i of the upper surfaces ofthe blocks or piers 14. When,however, the conveyor-members are rotated, the 1pipe arms move througharcs which extend a ove said plane. v

In th o erfllen of the fxnace these conveyor vtanni be intermaahliyresaca, each movement thereof serving `to advance the lates being heatedand move them foriv'a ,any desired. -distarice. Owing` to the fact thata continuous circulation of water is kept flowing through the pipe armsat all times, they can be stopped in any position'and no damage done tothem. `During theV intervals when the conveyors are at rest,

L the platesare supported on the blocks or piers 14. This intermittentoperation is of particular advantage in furnaces whereV it isdesired todeliver the plates Va'tgiven intervals and deliver each plate as quickly`as possible. Where the plate is to be delivered toV Some operatingmechanism such as a ressp it -is desirable that it be removed trom thefurnace as fast as possible. With the 4conveyor and pier arrangement dey scribed with the pla-tes resting on the piers,

- other apparatus. This,of courseymoves a'l'l bloc sfor `piers ready thenext' plate; n. y In Figure 3I have shown ra modification,

when it is` desired to deliver a plate,fthe conveyors 'are setininotioli to be driven at a high speed, and thus rapidly deliver aplate through the door opening' 4 to the press or the plates inthefurnace forward a distance equal to the length of the plate beforethe conveyor. stops. When the conveyors are sto` A 'd',fthe`` platesagain all rest on the vfor the discharge of such as would be employed incontinuous annealing practice in furnaces where powd'ered coal is usedas fueli'n the fire box 2Ol In suchga furnace, the conveyor lfli'cni-vbers similar to those shown in Figures 1 andf2'm'ay be provided adjacentto the fire and "the balance of the furnace may be providediwithconveyor means of a differen'tty'pe, suchv asa series of spaced disks21, mounted onl vshafts 22,4 and arranged by the sprocket gearing 23, tobe rotated in lunison"vvit'hthe ipe conveyors. In a ,ur-

itself' to form a thi-ee-'ar'rr'red stri'icture, Pis

bent itofa helix 24,- whose end portions 2411 form the journals. In thisform of the de'- vice, some? portion of the pipe' surface is at alltimesin Contact with' the' plates or other Y articles being! heated.

Ini'gres 4and" 5, I have illustrated in detai'ltheinanner of bendinglthe pipe to form a three-armed conveyor, such as shown in Figures 1, 2and 3.

In the modification shown iin F igures 6 and?, the pipeis bent to forni*aconveyor structure having only two arms 25.

In the form shown in Figures Sand 9,

`the' pipe instead of being bent vballi' and forth longitudinally upon'itself lyifspbent to form three equally spaced cranksk Figures 10 and l1show a form in which the'pipegisV bent to form the twoopposite cranks27.

In the form shown in Figure 12, a threearmed structure, such as shown inFigures 4 and 5, is further provided with ,guard pieces 28 ofmetalvcastor otherwise secured thereto and which are for the purpose of preventingany ofthe plates getting betweenthe arms of the conveyor.

In the form shown in Figures 13I and 1.4,

instead of making the structure of a single pipe, I have shown it ascomposed of a plurality of separate .pipes 29, securedbey ber formed bya casting or from sheet metal.

and having` the three` arms 33, through which water can be circulatedand which intermittently engage and move the articles being heated.

It will be understood that in al'l the'fo'r'ms shown, as well as invarious other `mc'ildifcations which may. be constructed, means will beprovided for insuringthe circulation of water or vother cooling liquidthrough the device. r.

Ther advantages of my linvention will, be apparent to those skilled inthe artpsin'ce it provides a simple Yand effective form of conveyorwhich can be `protected' ragainst injury from the heat of ,the furnace,which can be constructed and operated to l-iive the desired intermittentfeed to the objects beingheated, and 'in which theconstruction andarrangementis such as to -allow for a free circulation of theheatingmedium underneathk the'objectsbeiner heated` It will be readilyvunderstood that myin'- Ventionis applicable to various typesof furnace,other than those shown,` andthat many modifications` can be madewithiuthe spirit and scope of the appended claims. claim: y n, v 1.Conveyor mechanismfor furnacesaeomprisinsr a plurality `of'transverselylarranged rotatable conveyor members, 'eachl vrmember havinga plurality of lifting portion-sextending transversely of the furnacearranged to successively and intermittently engage the articles to beheated and move them step by step longitudinally of the furnace chamber,and means other than said members for supporting the articles betweensuc cessive movements thereof, substantially as described. Y

2. Conve or mechanism for` heating and annealing filrnaces, comprising aplurality of transversel arranged rotatable conveyor' members, eac ofsaid members having a plurality of lifting portions arranged tosuccessively and intermittently enga-ge the articles to be heated andmove them step by step longitudinally of the furnace chamber, meanswhereby cooling fluid may be circulated through said members, and meansother than said members for supporting the articles between successivemovements thereof,

' substantially as described.

3. In a furnace, a transversely arranged rotatable conveyor devicehaving a plurality of spaced arms, placed at an angle to each other andadapted to intermittently and successively engage the articles beingheated and move them longitudinally of the furnacechamber,.substantially as described.

4l. In a furnace, a transversely arranged rotatable conveyor devicehaving a plurality of spaced arms placed at an angle to each other andadapted'to intermittently and successively engage the articles beingheated and move them longitudinally of the furnace chamber, togetherwith means whereby a cooling fluid may be circulated through said arms,substantially as described.

5. In a furnace, a transversely arranged rotatable conveyor device,having a plurality of spaced arms, placed at anv angle to each other andadapted to intermittently and successively engage the articles beingheated and move them longitudinally of the furnace chamber, the furnacehaving other means for supporting the articles between successivemovements thereof, substantially as de scribed. y I

6. A conveyor, comprising a rotatable member having a plurality ofangularly spaced portions adapted to engage the arti` cles beinghandled, said conveyor having means for the circulation of a coolingfluid therethrough, substantially as described.

7. A conveyor device formed from pipe shaped to constitute a pluralityof arms at an angle to eachother and having means for a continuouscirculation of a cooling fluid therethrough, substantially as described.

8. A conveyor device comprising a pipe bent upon itself to form aplurality of con* veyor arms, the end portions of said pipe beingextended to form journals and also yhaving means for the circulation ofa coollfluid through said arms, said arms having connecting meansadjacent to said journal portions, substantially as described.

l0. In a furnace, the combination with a plurality of transverselyarranged rotatable conveyor members, each .member having a plurality ofmaterial engaging members extending transversely of the furnace, ofspaced apart piers arranged between adjacent conveyor members,substantially as described.

11. A furnace having a plurality of transversely extending articleengaging and rotatable conveyor members, transversely arranged spacedpiers between said members, and means for rotating said members,substantially as described.

12. A furnace having a plurality of transversely extending rotatableconveyor members, spaced piers between said members, and means forrotating said members, some at least of said members being formed ofpipes having means for the circulation of a cooling fluid therethrough,substantially as described.

13. Conveyin means for furnaces, comprising a plura ity of rotatablearticle engaging members having different portions thereof extendingdifferent distances from the axis of rotation, whereby the members willbe effective'upon rotation for engaging, lifting and longitudinallymoving material placed in the furnace, water cooling connections forsaid members, and means other than said members for supporting the material between successive movements thereof, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

JAMES H. KNAPP.

